Reclaiming Innocence
by RadicalRae
Summary: "You might as well go, for I am bitter to the bone and I've grown quite used to being alone." - collection of one shots containing ships, cats, dogs, aus, and quite a bit of cake. I don't own anything.
1. A Dog and a Demonic Butler

Sebastian _hated_ dogs.

Not out of any malicious intent or because dogs had too many flaws - he actually appreciated the canine species's abilities - he hates dogs simply because of aesthetic appeal, really. He preferred the sleek coat and dainty paws of a cat to the roughness and big, clumsy paws that came with a dog.

If cats symbolized grace, cold indifference, and sleek beauty, than dogs symbolized heavy labor, endurance, and raw strength. He'd never met a more stubborn animal (besides moose and geese), than a dog protecting what it cared for. He'd once seen a dog tear out the throat of a large male canine to protect her litter of pups, and a wolf that died defending its pack from vicious human hunters. Dogs were loyal and viscous to a fault and he couldn't help how he felt about them.

He respected the canine species, but he also hated them. They reminded him too much of himself.

Which was why he didn't quite know how to handle the situation when a tiny black puppy bit into the edge of his black winter coat and held on as tightly as their little jaws could manage. The demon frowned down at the creature, holding tonight's dinner (thinly sliced fish grilled with fresh fresh lemon, onions, and minced garlic and served with a thick, Indian style sauce and fresh peeled carrots).

He tugged at his coat before taking a few steps forward, hoping to dislodge the stubborn canine. He sighed when the tiny creature only growled feebly at him, shaking its head as aggressively as one so small could, still biting down into his coat.

Sebastian sighed and knelt down to stare at the puppy. Even so young, he could the power and strength in its long legs and lean body, just underneath all that curly black fur.

With another, heavier sigh, he picked the dog up, relieved to see the creature finally let go of his coat...just to bite down on his fingers and gnaw at them with vigor. The demon smiled sadly down at the young canine and gently ruffled the top of the dog's head. He straightened up and cradled the dog to his chest.

He may hate dogs, but this little creature was shaking so hard from the cold, and it had such a hard grip on his fingers...

Well, he'd let the young master decide what to do with the stubborn pup. Ironic that it's blue eyes resembled the young earl's own eyes.

 **0000**

"Sebastian...is that a dog?"

"It was persistent in following me home. I feared it would be trampled if left alone."

"...does anyone else know?"

"Only Finny. He wants to name her Victoria, after the queen."

"Don't you hate dogs?"

"To a degree."

"We'll keep her. Give the thing over and go about your chores; I'll think of a name."

"Of course. If I may...Victoria sounds like a lovely name for our new guest, don't you think?"

"...I said I will be deciding upon the name. Leave, Sebastian."

"Yes, my Lord."

Ciel frowned down at the little black pup nipping at his fingers, and stroked down her spine. The dog whimpered in joy and wiggled happily underneath his hands, causing a faint smile to replace his frown.

"Victoria." He whispered to the canine, grinning when the dog barked and looked up at him with adoring eyes. "Little 'Toria...yeah, I could get used to that. But only if you bite Sebastian as much as possible, he does hate dogs after all."


	2. There's a Storm Brewing

**A little William x Sebastian thing for a friend. Kinda gloomy kinda weird, I'm still getting into the swing of writing all these different characters. Set before Sebastian takes the contract with Ciel.**

 **0000**

He knelt on the roof of some old building, pulling his black coat further around himself. The high winds were cold and damp, although the clouds above - grey and swollen with rain - had yet to release their load upon the dismal town he had found himself in. Heavy black boots squeaked as he turned slowly to look over his shoulder, staring at the other man on the roof.

"William."

The reaper frowned at the demon, carefully walking across the slats of the slanted roof to stand besides the other man. Looking down at him, his long black hair perfectly hid his face, his those sharp burgundy eyes, the color of spilt wine. The demon looked up then, turning away from the humans far below them, on the streets of London.

"It's going to rain. It'll at least keep the fire from spreading any further."

"Fire? You're making less sense than usual, demon." William slowly knelt down next to the raven haired man, watching the way those awfully intense eyes tracked every movement he made, like some sort of wild cat. "There's no fire for miles."

"Don't you see it? The plume of smoke rising in the south?" The demon gestured vaguely in the direction he meant, where, true to his words, a thick column of smoke rose from the horizon. "Someone set that fire on purpose. I can't find it in me to care who...but there's a boy. He's survived."

The joy in his words made the reaper feel sick, and it took him a moment to find the words he wanted to say.

"This boy...he's going to summon you soon, isn't he?"

"He will be summoning a demon. I simply plan on being the first to answer. The boy will be an interesting adventure, his soul be damned. Quite literally." He chuckled and stood, grinning wickedly down at the reaper he'd known for quite some time. He wasn't surprised William hadn't foreseen this; no matter what they did in the privacy of a closed room, he was still a _demon_ , and he would continue to be what he had to be in order to survive.

His gaze softened at the look of sadness in the reaper's usually cold eyes, and offered him a grim smile and held out his hand.

"Come on." William shook his head, mouth set in a stern frown. The demon sighed and wiggled his fingers at the reaper, bending at the waist to smile at him with those stupidly gorgeous eyes. "Come on Will, humor me."

William grumbled and grabbed hold of the demon's hand, ignoring the way the contact shot a wonderfully warm feeling through his entire body. He glared as the man pulled him into a close embrace, mouth brushing over his cheek in the most chaste way a demon of sin could.

"I won't change. I'm still the me you met all those years ago - but I am what I am, and I _have_ to take this contract; it's just a little boy, any one else would take advantage of him. I can't let that happen, someone has to look out for the dogs after all."

"...I still don't like it. But...at least I know you still have a heart." The reaper finally smiled, albeit sadly, but a smile all the same. He leaned in to press their mouths together in a quick, nearly desperate kiss. The demons lips tasted like rain and sin. "Go. Be careful, I'm not the only grim reaper out tonight. Come back to me in one piece this time, got it?"

The demon didn't respond, he simply nodded once and let go, about to step off the roof and go to God knows where. He shot William one last glance, red eyes burning like miniature wildfires.

"I _will_ return to you one day. I promise. Goodbye, William, until we meet under the light of the moon once again. Don't get into too much trouble without me before then."

"...goodbye demon...stay safe."

 **0000**

The next time William saw the demon that haunted his dreams, he was called Sebastian, he served a young boy filled with spite and hatred, he was threatening to kill his co-worker, he looked worse for wear, and still as regal as ever. But when that insufferable demon smiled at him, looked at him with those intense, red-as-wine eyes...

It was like that time on the rooftop all over again. The demon had truly kept his promise, although in an odd sort of way. When he mentioned this, Sebastian had laughed and William decided to shut him up in the kindest way possible - the demon's lips tasted like rain and sin.

But he hadn't expected that to change. His demon was _his demon_ no matter what name he went by, or who he served or what he did...He just wished he hadn't kissed Sebastian in front of Grell and the boy. One was blushing and yelling at them to not ever do that again while the other was screeching for them to kiss again.

Oh, what a bother. Perhaps they should keep this behind closed doors.


	3. A Scotch and a Magic Trick

**Modern Au. Requested (I've got a list of requests from friends I'm trying to burn through it). I should mention that I will do any requested Aus and pairings, as I do on my other one shot collection.**

 **0000**

Thumbs flying over the keypad of his phone, Ciel rarely let his gaze wander up from the screen. While he usually loved the whole club scene (a blatant lie, seeing as how he'd been dragged here by Alois), this particular club had a dull, slow vibe to it, and even a conversation in texts with Elizabeth was a better alternative than whatever his blond "friend" wanted to do.

"Ciel! Look at those two guys that just walked in! They're so hot they could melt ice~."

"Not my type." He didn't even have to look up to know that he'd want nothing to do with the guys Alois was gawking at.

"You didn't even _look_ at them! They're at the bar now, tall and dressed in black. One has glasses." The blond tugged persistently at the other male's sleeve, pointing vigorously at the two men he was blabbering about. Deciding to humor him, Ciel glanced up, his sapphire blue eye easily finding the two men standing by the bar.

The one with the glasses stood ramrod straight, glasses perched on the end of his nose, and his black hair was smoothed back into a neat combed back style, and the clothes he wore were so plain and unassuming it looked like a child designed his outfit. The other one was leaning back against the bar, head tilted down and messy black hair hiding the top half of his face rather effectively. His clothes consisted of a deep red dress shirt that had the first two buttons undone and a black jacket over the top, his black pants just tight enough to show off his obscenely long legs.

Ciel dropped his phone into the pocket of his expensive leather jacket, interested in something not his phone for the first time that night. Alois grinned triumphantly, hooking his arm around his companion's waist.

"Come on, why don't we say hi? Which one do you want?" He pushed through the crowds, dragging Ciel behind him. "I like the one with the legs. He looks like a lot of fun, doesn't he?"

Ciel grumbled under his breath, finding his gaze drifting back to the two men. The "fun" looking one was imitating a mockery of a smile, and it seemed that he had offended his own companion, who looked quite furious, mouth open to possibly make some sort of retort. He and Alois reached them just before he could speak, and Alois's greeting broke their staring contest.

Ciel wrenched his arm away from the rambunctious blond, massaging his now aching wrist. He glanced at glasses, who was busy fending off Alois's wandering hands, and then looked towards the other one. His heart jumped into his throat when he realized the man had stood up, easily towering over him.

"Hello." He smiled down at him, and blue met burgundy red as Ciel strained to look up at him. "I'm Sebastian."

Ciel swallowed hard and made a noise in indifference. Just because this man had pretty eyes and a sinfully smooth voice did _not_ mean he would swoon like some love sick girl.

"Ciel. Blondie's name is Alois." Speaking of the blond, he could hear his grating voice coaxing Sebastian's friend into buying him a drink. "I feel bad for your friend. Alois isn't even tipsy yet."

This drew a low laugh from the raven haired man, and he gestured to the bar, and to the empty seat next to him. Ciel slid in beside him, resting his elbow against the counter and culling a cheek in one slender hand.

"I wouldn't worry about Claude. He can usually handle himself. I'm just here to make sure he doesn't get too drunk, we've got exams tomorrow." Ciel straightened up in surprise. He and Alois were only seniors in high school (with fake IDs, but this club didn't really care about your age), so it was a surprise these two were college students.

"What are you, college students?"

"Sort of. Claude is a sophomore in college this year, and I still haven't applied anywhere. I'd honestly rather work on my violin playing." Sebastian shrugged, muffling a laugh at seeing his companion forced onto a seat with Alois. The blond had managed to climb his way into the flustered man's lap, flirting so hard it was painful to watch.

"Alois and I play music as well. I'm better on the piano than on a violin though.." Ciel shares a look of amusement with his blond companion, who had semi-given up on getting his chosen victim to flirt back in favor of sipping some fruity cocktail. "Alois is adept at playing the human body."

It took a moment for that to sink in, and then Sebastian was snickering before he waved to a redheaded bartender.

"What can I get you handsome?" The bartender leaned over the counter, grinning at them and batting his eyelashes at the raven haired man. The obvious way he flirted made Ciel's stomach churn, a feeling that often came with jealousy. He had no right to be jealous over a man he had just met.

"Two scotches please." Sebastian reached over to tug on Claude's sleeve, causing both him and Alois to glance over. "How may drinks have you had?"

Claude held up two fingers, paused, then held up a third.

"Mm, this is usually the time I say it's a good idea to go home. Claude will have a hangover in the morning and complain all morning if I don't get him into a cold shower soon."

Sebastian picked up his scotch, downed the entire glass in one go, and dropped some bills onto the table next to his glass. Claude was quick to get Alois off his lap so he could stand and stumble towards the doors.

"Do enjoy your drink, Ciel. Call me if you'd like another chance to talk. I'm sure we can work _something_ out." He winked at them both and sauntered after his companion, strides long and graceful despite the alcohol he had just downed. Ciel gasped, realizing he didn't have his number.

"He didn't give me his number but he wants me to call him?" He turned clumsily to the scotch on the counter, noticing a pink paper folded underneath the glass. He picked it and unfolded, seeing a series of numbers and in neat, tidy cursive underneath the phone number was " _You and your friend are quite amusing. Call me if you two would like another date."_

"I think they're very much your type."

"Alois?"

"Yes my lovely Ciel?"

"Shut up."


	4. War Buddies

**Just to warn you guys I cannot write Mey-Rin to save my life.** ** _How do you write someone that optimistic anyway?!_**

 **I'm taking some liberties with this and putting some of my own headcanons out there. Will explain some of them at the end.**

 **0000**

At first glance, the Phamtomhive estate looked calm and serene, with loyal (if not clumsy) servants, a handsome butler, and one disturbingly mature and _young_ earl. The head of the house and his shadow were a constant reminder that this place wasn't just your regular job position, but one that required guns, brute strength, and clever planning. He wasn't really a chef, though he could cook quite well of he really set his mind to it, but a hardened soldier at best, a hired gun at worst.

Bardroy took a drag from his cigarette, leaning against the kitchen table. His gun laid on the table behind him, the barrel smudged with dirt and the sweat from his hands. Finny had taken care of the last thugs already, and with the blond's advanced strength he hadn't been in any trouble, which left Bard to make his way to the kitchen.

Now he stood there, smelling like gunpowder and blood and dirt and over all like he had when he'd been a soldier, waiting for the others to get back and regroup. And, of course, to await Sebastian's next orders. He knew he could always just venture upstairs to search for the otherworldly butler and the young earl, but the raven haired man had an unnerving quality that had the ex-soldier wanting to sprint away.

So he waited.

He didn't have to wait long.

Mey-Rin gave him a cheerful, albeit tired smile, as she limped inside and placed her twin pistols on the table. She had yet to push her glasses back into place, and only seemed to realize this upon bumping into the kitchen counter when she turned. Bard grabbed her shoulder, ignoring how she shook under his grip, and guided her back to the table and to a chair. He had just pulled out the kettle for tea when Finny walked in, gait stiff and hands still bloody.

Bard silently stepped aside to let the young man - he was more of a young boy, though no one but Finny himself knew how old he was - wash the red from his limbs. Once done, the blond moved to sit next to Mey-Rin, fold his arms on top of the table and rest his head on his arms. Bard frowned and continued with his task, knowing from experience never to ask if someone was _alright_ after a _battle,_ after a bloody fight like this.

By the time he'd given the two of their cups of tea and held his own in his hands Sebastian stood in the doorway, watching the three tired servants. The chef would never admit this, but while the strangely (impossibly) perfect man disturbed him, he couldn't help but to worry about him. Did no one else see how his shoulders sagged after Ciel finally retired for the night, or how sometimes he'd make a soft sound of pain after a fight whenever someone jostled him from his usual pace, or even the way his smiles seemed completely, utterly fake?

He'd noticed the first night that each of them had problems. He had immediately suspected Sebastian of not exactly being normal. He'd seen right through Mey-Rin's clumsiness. He knew Finny's optimism was a front to keep them from prying about his past and his unnatural strength. He knew something terrible had happened - was still happening - to the young master that let them live here and paid them to protect his home.

Bard offered the man a genuine smile, and gestured for him to join him. Tanaka could take care of Ciel for the next twenty minutes.

Sebastian sat down with Mey-Rin and Finny, and Bard slid in next to him, pulling out a deck of cards and grinning when they all (besides the butler) groaned in sync. He didn't care that they complained about his insistence on playing a card game, or making them tea and food; he cared that when he did, the haunted look in all their eyes slowly faded, even if it was only a little bit, and the sorrow in his own heart lessened just a bit.

They were all war buddies now, whether they realized that or not didn't matter. War buddies were family, and family took care of each other when they could, however they could.

He failed his last family, and he refused to fail this one.*

 **0000**

 **To sum up my headcanons...**

 **Bard is a soldier. Soldiers fight, they survive, and a lot of them smoke (in that time period anyway). And they make and lose friends. He sees the others (Mey-Rin, Finny, maybe even Sebastian, as friends, perhaps even family, because they all fight and live and survive together. And he's honestly scared of losing them, because he lost his friends from the war he fought in before being a chef, because he believes losing them was his fault.**

 **And he knows what a soldier after battle looks like, how haunted and hollow they look, and he carries a hell of a lot of sadness and pain in him, and he sees that mirrored in the others.**

 **This wasn't a requested piece, but I had it all done up and waiting to be posted, and the next one is more or less kicking my butt, so I took a break to finish this one up and knock it out there. Hope you enjoy this tidbit. :)**

 **Also...to Promocat; thanks for all the reviews! It really helps in making me keep up with updates knowing someone enjoys my writing. So thank you for your input - it really does help!**


	5. Obsession

**There are** ** _so many_** **requests that include Sebastian. I feel bad, there are so many great characters other than Sebastian. I'm hoping to get as many of them in here as I can. This one is about Grell and his...obsessions. It's short, but this is also the one that was kicking my butt. Which means this will have a companion piece so I don't feel too guilty.**

 _ **Save me.**_

 **0000**

Grell considered himself to have a _great_ taste in men and woman, but he was of the opinion that anyone could see how perfect Sebastian was. He _was_ perfect. And not in an over the top, arrogant way either, but in the almost subtle, ever so clever way, he was just unashamedly _perfect_ and that was only one of the reasons Grell fantasized about the butler.

There were also...aesthetic reasons.

Those lips thst curved up into a devious smile, those burgundy eyes full of mischief and bloodthirst, hands made to kill, those ridiculously long legs that _had_ to be hard muscle and soft flesh from all that running he did. And the hair, the lovely raven black hair that only made his unblemished skin absolutely _glow_ in the light of the moon. He wanted to run his hands through that hair, to see if it was as soft and silky as he imagined it to be.

Grell giggled and flipped his hair back, reclining in the chair he was seated in. He'd been assigned to desk duty for a week (he'd been caught trying to sneak away to see Sebastian...again) but so far all he'd done was think about a certain handsome demon. Back the certain handsome demon...how did he move so gracefully, so beautifully, every move, every sway of his hips and tilt of his head come out like some sort of demonic seduction dance?

It had to be illegal, the way he moved, and yet he did so anyway.

"Grell. You're supposed to be working, or need I remind you of your punishment _again_?"

The redheaded reaper flashed his superior a bashful grin and batted his eyelashes at him, hoping to get away with his slacking off. William only frowned harder and tapped his foot on the tiled floor to show that he was irritated with his fellow reaper.

"Oh Willy, I just can't work another minute without seeing my man~."

"Last I checked, the demon doesnt want anything to do with you."

"He'll give in eventually."

"When hell freezes over I expect him to be kneeling at your feet." _Sarcasm_ , where would William be without a readied insult and _sarcasm_ on the tip of his tongue. "Until then, get some work done. And please stop writing that thing's name all over the place. People will start asking questions."

Grell sighed as the other reaper turned to leave, finally glancing down at the paperwork in front of him with despair in his green eyes. A soft sound tore his attention back up to the other man, who was looking back over his shoulder, normally cold eyes suddenly warm with mischief.

"And I highly doubt his skin glows, but he does have rather nice eyes." Before Grell could reply, William had disappeared out the door, muddling his snickering as best as he could.

Who knew that Grell thought out loud?


	6. Attention

**Finally got this done. It's the companion piece to Obsession. Just so everyone knows, shy or I-can't-have-a-successful-date-to-save-my-life Sebastian is my favorite.**

 **This is super short, I want to get to the next chapter soon, I've been craving some good old fashioned angst. Prepare yourself.**

 **0000**

No matter how many times it happened, Sebastian could never get used to being flirted with. He wasn't naturally an outgoing person, though he'd never admit to being _shy_ to anyone. Except for Tanaka, but the old human would never let the demon's crippling secrets slip from his aging mind. Which often left him alone to deal with so much attention focused on him (often simply because he was there, or maybe because humans were as flighty as a sparrow).

Not that he couldn't handle it.

He could easily glide through the affectation Lady Elizabeth showed all those around her.

He could talk his way out of spending an afternoon with the other three servants.

He could handle Mey-Rin's sometimes inappropriate behavior.

He could, at times, be patient with Pluto's unhealthy faith towards him.

However...

Agni's constant friendship and warmth confused him, every friendly gesture leaving an odd sort of feeling inside his chest, warm and fluttering like a trapped bird. William's not-really hatred wasn't unsurprising, but there were times when the serious and proper reaper approached him that there was something else beyond the obvious dislike, and _that_ left him in confusion as well.

He was long used to the Undertaker's sense of humor and very physical nature, although he wished the retired devine being would show a just a little decorum.

And then there was Grell. The redhead _flirted_ with him, gave him a silly nickname, didn't show an once of fear towards the old demon, only an odd curiosity and clear obsession. It was both refreshing and _infuriating_ to know at least one person didn't fear his presence or hate it. He couldn't quite understand the reaper's flamboyant style and flair, but appreciated it all the same. It wasn't often someone could hold his attention longer than Ciel, the contract be damned (literally).

He didn't know how to respond to the flirting, besides the immediate blush that he fought to keep from his face, and the constant physical contact both unnerved him and left his mind reeling from the unexpected warmth. Ok, so, he supposed, when it came to dealing with Grell, he _was_ shy, toeing the line into timid, and he hoped the reaper didn't mind his stumbling through the new experience of a possible relationship. He'd never done anything like this before, had never tried flirting with a creature so similar and so different to himself.

Sebastian had lived a long time, and 90 percent if that time he had spent mostly alone, with only the stray contract here or there to pass the time. The black death didn't count; he hadn't quite been himself at that moment. Angels hated demons, grim reapers disliked demons, or were very indifferent towards them, humans were just a big no (far too young, far too fragile), and other demons didn't like _him, Sebastion,_ simply because of his age and abilities.

Grell was like a river in the middle of a desert, and the redhead didn't have a clue how _important_ he was now. Sebastian wanted to flirt back, desperately so, but he had no idea where its start. Maybe it was a good thing he could pretend so flawlessly...

...and if he had to, William seemed alright with his frequent visits to ask (very reluctantly) about Grell and how to handle the extraordinary redhead. Tanaka occasionally had sound advice too - for a human.


	7. I've Grown Used to Wandering Alone

**I've been craving the urge to make something really sad or just awful, and I've been tossing ideas around and eventually decided to go with my own thoughts on how all grim reapers, demons, and angels interact. Young Sebastian, freshly turned demon.**

 **Might end up with a companion piece someday, it was actually fun to write. Ends in the 1750's.**

 **0000**

He was pretty sure he had gone down this road before. The young man paused, glancing back the way he had came and then down where he was heading towards. Everything seemed so similar, and he wasn't quite sure why. The trees remained the same no matter what way he ventured, and somehow he never made any ground.

With a frustrated sound he kicked at the nearly frozen ground, glaring around him with burgundy colored eyes. He _hated_ this. Hated this pointless wandering that got him nothing but anger and disappointment. He hated this all consuming self loathing that settled in his chest every time he so much as thought of the cross still around his neck. The silver hadn't burned his skin like he thought it would, but it did give him a queasy feeling every time he did touch it.

He _should_ take it off, but it had been his father's, and the thought of leaving without anything to remember the stern man by pained him so. He'd also taken his mother's empty journal and a quill, intent on writing down what he could and drawing the rest. So far, the pages remained empty.

Tearing his mind from such troubles, he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his too-big, worn out grey winter coat and marched onwards, determined to make at least some headway.

A part of him was happy to see the wrecked wagon, simply because it meant life, but the majority _wailed_ and _screamed_ when he caught sight of the bodies. Two of them looked mangled from the wreck, and he couldn't bear it to look so them. The third was a young girl, no more than eight maybe, and it looked as if the chill had gotten to her first.

He covered her up first, using his winter coat to shield the tiny, fragile body from the sun's harmful rays, and found a blanket to cover the other two with. The horse attached to the wagon was still very much alive and kicking, and he hurried to unhook the beast lest it hurt itself. The moment it was free the horse took off, the sound of its hooves beating the ground soon fading.

"Boy, what in death's name are ya doing?"

The voice caught him by surprise, and he spun around to stare in shock and - dare he say it - _hope_.

"Get away from them ya bloody devil!" The man before him snarled, holding a sickle towards the raven haired youth. He was dressed in all black, his hair mangy and straw like and face mostly hidden by his cowl. "Dont ya dare touch their souls ya filthy mongrel."

He was confused now, and took an unsteady step away from the man.

"I-I was trying to help..."

"Demons don't help. Demons steal and murder and break everythin' we work for. Go, scram, before I kill ya right now. Any other grim reaper would just kill ya, I'm bein' _nice_."

And he ran, unable to take the hatred in the man's voice, and the implications that no one would be any better than that man with his sickle.

 **0000**

The demon crept along the slanting roof top, the dark shroud of night effectively hiding him from the view of the more nocturnal humans. He caught the gaze of a cat watching him from another roof and grinned at it. While he found himself shunned by most others like himself and feared by humans, he found himself drawn to animals; mainly cats. He'd found in the last few decades that the sleek creatures were fearless and arrogant, and he loved their cold indifference towards everything around them.

The cat yawned and turned away from the demon to meander down off the roof and through an open window, immediately welcomed by warm shouts of happy children.

Ah, to be welcomed into a home like that. He found himself wishing all too frequently for such a luxury, instead of the darkness of the tiny place he called home. Speaking of which...He should head back. It would rain soon, and he hadn't brought anything but his thin black cloak.

Using the speed of an unnatural being, he was soon slipping through the window of his small home, shedding his cloak and draping it over the back of a nearby chair. He'd only been around for a handful of decades, and despite his very little interactions with others like himself he knew he was considered quite low on the ranking scale.

This left him open to attack; no one protected someone no one cared about.

The other demon stuck first, but he'd been expecting it and easily dodged to the side, rolling and snatching up the knife he hid under his thin mattress. The other demon was young, with curly red hair and angry brown eyes, and he bared sharp teeth in an awful snarl. In one hand he held an old dagger, long and slightly curved, one edge rough and jagged. It looked dangerous, and he swallowed his fear quickly.

 _Those like us can't die easily._

"You're new to town, aren't you?" The younger looking demon chuckled, expertly twirling his dagger in long fingers. "I've never seen someone move so fast. You got a name, child?"

He hesitated. The being standing in front of him was an obvious threat, but he had yet to make do with that dagger and attack again. The redhead tilted his head, moving slowly to pull a chair close to him so he could sit down and recline back, never breaking his staring contest with the _very_ young demon.

"A quiet one, huh? Well, never mind your name. I'm Taylor. Friends call me Lor. How old are you?"

This...was not how he wanted to spend the rest of the evening. He supposed he could humor this Taylor though, and the conversation - as odd as it was - had been sorely missed.

"I...I'm about sixty." His voice sounded weird, raw from disuse and neglect. "I don't really have a name, but I've introduced myself as Mal to the humans. They're very..."

"Naive?"

" _Accepting._ They're very accepting, and don't push when they know I'm lying."

Taylor sighed, stabbing his dagger into the table, blinking at the noise of protest Mal almost immediately made at the action.

"I know it's dingy, but this is all I have." He frowned at the rickety table, both mad about the damage done to it and about how he didn't really care; he was just glad the weapon had been discarded. "Please don't destroy anything."

Taylor smiled just then, and leaned forward in his chair.

"So, tell me about what you've been doing since you've turned. If I can, I'll help you."

 **0000**

Mal leaned against a wall, burgundy eyes trained on the scuffed toes of his leather boots. He'd learned to always avert his gaze whenever angels entered the human world. They always came for one reason or another, usually because something was off in the balance of the world. Someone bumped into him and he made a soft sound of pain. He'd freshly broken an ankle training with Taylor, and the old demon had left him to nurse his own wounds. The bones were healed, but it was still tender.

The uneasy pressure the angels emanated increased and Mal finally looked up, peering up through black bangs that were in a desperate state for a trim. An angel stood in front of him, with golden hair that curled around her ears and big grey eyes that were warm and friendly. She smiled at him, and moved on.

The angel walking with her, however, slipped quietly next to him, and no one noticed the lonely little demon crumple with a knife in his side. The angels moved on, and only one looked back to see red eyes glare with unbridled hatred.

 **0000**

Hospitals in this time were depressing and full of disease. Full of sickly _hope_.

Taylor avoided hospitals as much as possible, claiming the smell gave him a headache.

Mal absolutely loved going in, if only to see the children and tell them stories. It did him good to see their eager faces whenever he showed up. He gave the sicker children toys sometimes, even drew them something from outside if they wanted him to.

Today was not a happy day. A young girl had died of a fatal heart disease, and he couldn't help but remember her soft voice and warm, albeit weary eyes. He left a dozen flowers at her grave, and stood underneath an old oak tree to watch the parents grieve over their lost child. He felt the ghost of a touch against his shoulder, but didn't turn to look.

"You're a strange one alright. Did you know her well?" This stranger was intruding on his thoughts of the young girl, and Mal huffed angrily and glared.

"No." He finally replied, turning a sorrowful gaze back towards the grave; the parents were leaving, ushering their remaining children away. "I read to her. She loved stories about mermaids that sunk ships."

The man chuckled darkly, and started walking away, blue-grey hair as wild looking as his golden eyes.

"I'm sure she appreciated your kindness, no matter how little you thought of her. I'm a friend of Taylor's. You're Mal, correct?"

He didn't deign that with a response, simply turning away and walking back the way he came. It was rare when he broke out his hidden bottle of scotch, but the need to erase the deceased child's laughter from memory was strong and he craved the darkness of a drunken slumber.

"You can't run forever child! No matter how many centuries pass - you're a demon, like me, like Taylor! You should start acting like one before you get killed."

Mal didn't care, he didn't care that he didn't act like he should.

He still wore a cross around his neck for God's sake, he wasn't a demon, wasn't human, he didn't know what he was.

But he wasn't like Taylor. He wasn't like the wild looking man.

He was just Mal, and by heaven or hell he'd figure out this shit by himself. Even if he died trying, he'd rather die on his own terms, and not because some demonic handbook demanded his death.


	8. Eager and Ready

**Drossel is one of my favorite characters, and considering I have most of my requests done or at least typed up I decided I'd do some chapters focused on him. This one is an Au I've been considering, where Drossel survives and Ciel takes pity on him and has Sebastian hire him. Sort of. Still working out the kinks.**

 **Also, I'd just like to point out, I've never gone beyond the second season and I have not read the manga, so going by canon isn't what I'm worried about.**

 **0000**

When he was human, sick and dying from illness, no one had wanted him around. People veered around him and only the brave or the stupid ventured towards his singing.

When he had died, his soul was ripped from him without so much as a peek at his own life. He hadn't understood the cruelty, but it had caused his troubled mind to linger where it was not welcome.

When he was a puppet only his master seemed to want him around for his work on the girls he turned into dolls like himself. This he could handle, he was used to the cold indifference and the subtle disgust in the tone his master spoke in. He swore to himself not to let it harm his outlook on his second chance of life.

And now no one wanted him; he was damaged goods, after all. Even though he attempted to "put on a brave face" he still found doubt and fear curling in his chest when the sun went down and night finally fell over the town he took refuge in. To the townsfolk, he was an oddly dressed, depressed young man. Some took pity and offered him many things, and others, meaner humans taunted and tormented him.

He looked back on what he'd done for his old master, and knew he deserved the cruel beatings every time.

The puppet shifted, leaning his back against the wall behind him. The market place was a good place to lurk in, as sometimes he could scrape in a living with his singing and the occasional saddened expression. A group of rowdy, loud men passed him by, and Drossel curled in on himself upon hearing a sinister comment directed towards where he sat. He pressed his forehead against his knees and waited for them to approach him and demand something - they all wanted something, even if he didn't have whatever it was.

"I'd like to offer you a job."

Drossel jerked up, staring in shock at the black clad man. The very familiar man, one he should probably know, smiled in a way that wasn't unkind, and Drossel so wanted to take the proffered hand and go with him. His old master had warned him to never go with someone that offered him a job, as he was not a person but his master's puppet and pet.

But his old master wasn't here.

The man stood there patiently, burgundy eyes gleaming in a way that would unnerve anyone else. Instead, he saw a way out, an escape from his miserable excuse of a second chance, all in a handful of words, a kind smile, and eyes that held no malice or pity.

Drossel took the gloved hand without another thought and let himself be pulled to his unsteady feet.

He was led through the market to a waiting carriage, and there the man told him _exactly_ his job was to be.

He'd never been a tailor before - at least he could still make and create with his hands. Excited for the new change of fate, he eagerly awaited their arrival to his new master's home; he'd been idle for far too long.


	9. Hopeful and Willing

**Another piece of the Drossel Au. Short, and mostly nonsense.**

 **Anyone have a request to what the next chapter will be?**

 **0000**

The needle went into the dark fabric only to come back up, dragging equally dark thread along with it. Again and again the needle went through the clothes, carefully mending the gaping hole in Finny's pants.

"Hi Dross'!" The redhead glanced up from his work, offering the gardener a small smile. He still hadn't quite gotten used to the others that lived and worked in the huge estate, and the young earl still managed to make him nervous and jittery. According to Finny (apparently he'd been wondering aloud) the young master was actually very kind underneath his stupidly mature and cold mask.

Still...

Drossel let the subject drop and handed Finny the fixed pants, instructing him to be more careful, before turning a critical eye to the next piece of fabric in need of a skilled set of hands. One of the earl's jackets, torn at the elbow from the last "trip" he and Sebastian had gone on. He only waved a hand in farewell as Finny excused himself and left the small room. He had plenty of work to keep him occupied - who knew a handful of human beings tore up their clothes so often?

He ran his fingers over the fabric, searching for any other damage he hadn't seen at first glance. Finding none, he chose a thread to match the dark green of the jacket and leaned in close to inspect the tear. It traveled along the seam, for which he was grateful. This particular jacket had intricate stitching, and he didn't feel like attempting to copy it. This way he could simply follow the ripped seam.

"Drossel?"

Startled from his thoughts, the puppet turned and offered a shy smile to the black clad butler. Sebastian smiled in return, and swept past Drossel to lay another torn piece of clothes on the pile. One of the earl's shirts, with a missing button. An easy fix, the butler could do it himself really, but the puppet had long learned to not question the actions of the inhuman servant.

"I'm going into town for supplies. Anything you require?" Sebastian set a steady hand on Drossel's shoulder, still smiling. "Thread, perhaps?"

"Hhmm...no."

"Alright then. I shall return shortly. Watch after the house in my absence."

With that, the butler was gone, leaving Drossel to his thoughts and to his work. He turned a critical gaze back to the torn jacket, before picking up the shirt and quickly mending the rip and replacing the button. Satisfied, he returned to the jacket.

He'd finish this and see if the young master was ready to be measured (he'd grown half an inch, and was a bit proud) for a new suit. Maybe this time a lovely shade of green or red?


	10. Hot or Cold?

**Modern Au Ciel x Alois. Constructive criticism is highly appreciated.**

 **0000**

Ciel _hated_ the cold. He hated it when it was hot too, but right now it was _cold_ and Alois had turned the friggin' heater off _again_ simply because they had one of those stereotypical roommate arguments, one that ended with Alois storming off in a cloud of profanity and Ciel huffing and slamming doors in the way only he could.

Currently, Ciel had curled up on the couch, wrapped in his comfiest sweater with the heavy blanket from his bed around his shoulders. If he got up and turned on the heater it would tell Alois he had won, and Ciel was very, very stubborn. He wouldn't give in. No matter how cold it got, he refused to just do the sensible thing and turn on the heater.

There was only one option left; call up his ever faithful cousin and complain.

 _"Ciieeel, do you have any sense of time? It's only 7 am!"_ Elizabeth didn't sound angry though, just surprised, and he could detect warmth in her voice. Knowing the young woman, she had already been up and doing something awfully unorthodox.

"Lizzie, I know. Me and Alois had another fight."

 _"Oh. Want me to call Bard and have him beat him up?"_

"No, he's leaving me alone for now, but he's turned off the heater. Going and turning it on would just start another argument, and I don't need that right now."

 _"Whatever. The offer still stands. I can drive down there if you want, or you could sneak away and come lay low with Bard and Finny. I'm sure those lovebirds wouldn't mind. I mean, Alois has to turn the heater back on or become a human popsicle, right?"_

"Thanks, but it's not necessary. I think I'll just go and spend a couple of hours at the studio. Put my emotions into a jar of black paint, y'know? When I get back I'll talk to the stupid goldilocks and settle this the _civilized_ way."

 _"So beating him around the head and threatening his manhood with a knife?"_

"Hahaha, you're sooo funny. I'll talk to you later. Say hi to Bard and Finny for me, ok?"

 _"Yeah yeah, love ya Ciel. Good luck with Alois."_

He dropped his phone into his lap, glaring at it for a moment before he picked himself up off the couch and dragged himself into his room. From there he slowly got dressed in a pair of worn out black jeans, black boots (the one with all the straps and the steel toes), a blue tank top, and a black hoodie. The studio was only a block away (and well heated); he wouldn't have to bundle up like he did when he went out shopping.

With a shout of "I'm going out" Ciel slammed the door to the apartment shut and jogged down the hallway to catch the elevator down. He passed by Grell and William, sharing an annoyed look with the poor raven haired lawyer as the redhead he was with shouted into a phone. Ciel decided to not stop for conversation. Will was a classy guy, but his "friend"...really wasn't.

Three levels later and he was on the street, skirting around the slow walking folk and rapid fire texting with Finny about Alois's actions. His functional blue eye drifted from his phone screen to the crowd around him, keeping him from running into anyone.

Ah, he'd been correct. The studio was beautifully warm, just enough that he could strip out of his hoodie and grab his painting smock. Now, to finish that landscape...

 **0000**

"He's probably just jealous."

Ciel turned to level Sebastian with a blank look, disbelief in his uncovered eye.

"Why would Alois be jealous? It's not like I have more money than he does, or half as many boyfriends."

"Well...he might be jealous that I take you out to dinner almost every week." Sebastian averted his burgundy gaze, focusing instead on finding his car keys in the overly big pockets of his winter coat.

"What does that mean?" Ciel huffed, revisiting the urge to snicker at the older man's expression. "It's not like we're dating. You're not exactly my type. You're way too tall."

The raven haired man had to laugh, smiling as he unlocked his car and opened the passenger seat for Ciel. "I'm just saying, maybe he's upset that he's not the one taking you out to dinner every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday."

"Friday's take out at your place, doesn't count."

"Trust me, I know jealousy when I see it. I live with Claude, remember?"

"Fine, I'll talk to him. Maybe. I might just shoot him. Drop me off here, I need to pick up some groceries. And yes, you keep reminding me. I keep wondering when you two will just kiss each other and get it over with."

Sebastian just smiled, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel. Once he pulled over, he stepped out to open Ciel's door and bid him a goodnight, and to suggest a good body dumping tactic.

Looking up at the still lit window of his apartment, Ciel thought he just might use the morbid advice.

 **0000**

Ciel crept into the apartment, feeling foolish for even needing to creep in, and quietly set his groceries on the kitchen table. He could hear the sound of the tv from there, and hesitated before he walked into the living room. Alois didn't move, the blond only paused his movie.

"Well? Gonna apologize for being a prick?"

"You're the one that was being a prick, and no. I was actually going to ask if you wanted to be civilized for once and go get a cup of tea with me tomorrow before I head off to work."

"Why don't you ask you tall, dark lover to go with you?"

"You know very well that me and Sebastian are just friends." Perhaps his friend had been right. It certainly sounded like Alois was jealous. Or maybe he was just feeling left out? They really didn't spend much time together anymore... "I'd rather not go alone. But...if you think sulking in here is better than going on a date with me..."

"I never said no!" That was much more like it.

"Good. Wake up at six tomorrow. Scoot over." Ciel threw himself down on the couch, snuggling up to Alois (for his body heat, nothing else) and tugged the blanket around himself. "What are you watching?"

"Iron Man."

"God, you're so lame. Captain America is so much better."

"I don't see you leaving or changing the channel."

"Alois?"

"What?"

"Play the friggin' movie already. _Before_ I decide to dump your popcorn on the floor.l

"Bitch."

"Alois, please shut up."


	11. I'm so Cold, Don't Leave me Alone

**A request by a friend for some sweet platonic Undertaker x Sebastian. Again, I'd like to point out that I've never gone past season 2 of the show, and I haven't watched it in quite a while. Nor have I read the manga, so forgive me for any mistakes.**

 **Also this references an old chapter, tell me if you know which one!**

 **ONWARDS. Also I'm accepting requests, just so everyone knows.**

"...I would laugh, but..."

"Hmm."

"You're dripping all over the place. My floor will suffer for this."

"Mmhm."

"...oh, my dear Sebastian, so quiet this evening!"

Sebastian sighed, pulling off his coat and hanging the soaked garment by the door. It had been pouring rain all day, but the storm had only gotten worse by midnight. Though, it was probably closer to one or two in the morning. Ceil was sound asleep, the three incompetent servants were also asleep, and today had been...tiring.

Which was why he found himself at Undertaker's little shop of horrors, taking his pre-destined seat by the retired reaper. Well, it felt pre-destined. In truth, he always found himself wherever the Undertaker went, like a force of habit, a lost little sheep desperately searching for a shepherd. The Reaper had never failed to make him feel welcome, even if he had an odd way of doing it.

"...Undertaker?"

"Oh, finally talking? How _pleasant_."

"Don't. Please I...I don't need this today."

"...oh dear, did that awful Claude do something to upset you?" Sebastian shook his head, sinking further into the coffin shaped sofa. The older male hummed and carefully slid an arm around the demon's shoulders. He was trembling, but only slightly, as if he was somehow cold. "Or perhaps Grell overstepped a boundary? It wasn't your precious young master, was it?"

"...I'd...rather not talk about it right now."

"Alright. Do you need anything...?"

Sebastian shook his head, leaning against the reaper before he closed his eyes. He just wanted to rest for now, and then tomorrow he'd be the perfect butler again. Right now though, his past was haunting him, and the Undertaker was the only person he trusted to not exploit his moment of weakness. And, truth be told, he missed having someone he could just talk to, and not worry about anything. Even if the Undertaker was rude and laughed at him, he still listened when something was actually bothering the demon.

If he ever shared, that is.

"Undertaker?"

"Hmm?"

"...just...wake me before five. I still have to prepare breakfast and wake the brat."

"Hehe, will do. Biscuit?"

He snorted, and turned his head to hide the tears that suddenly threatened to spill forth. Just the simple act of trying to laugh had his emotions choking him and completely suffocating him. The Undertaker fell silent, and tightened his grip on the younger male. Some immortals were cruel, and no one knew that more than his little demonic lamb. Too bad he hadn't found Sebastian first. Perhaps he would have been a respectable demon if he had a decent teacher.

"I never wanted this."

"I _know_ that Mal, and I'm sorry. You didn't _deserve_ this..."

"No one _ever_ does."


	12. Reflection

**I've been gone for a lot of time. This is an au by a friend (which I love so much omfg) and contains OCs and a few other things. I asked before using their au btw.**

 **Warning: Lucifer is a righteous asshole and Sebastian is tired and bitter and hopelessly in love with a young priest who's lost all faith in God. :)**

Lucifer would _like_ to believe that he was a good man, that he was a good father, a good friend, that he had been a good husband at one point. Those in Hell referred to him as "Father", as Lord, as the King of Demons and ghouls. He still wasn't sure how to react to those titles.

The demon standing next to him had only ever called the Fallen by his actual name, or some ridiculous title that he would come up with while watching the royal children. He glanced over at his children, at his two sons, the royal children who were next in line for the demonic throne. They were busy whispering to each other and staring not-so-discreetly at the guards who filed into the ballroom while fidgeting with their traditional garb.

Next to him, Sebastian stifled a rather loud chuckle as Lucifer's oldest blatantly mentioned the look of one of the guards near them and smiled at said guard. The man in question had the decency to blush and look away - which was unprofessional, but expected; having a royal demon suddenly flirt with you was never something you think would happen.

"I do believe Raziel and Ezra could use a distraction. Perhaps you should release them from rehearsal early? It would leave more time to go over the guard's positions with them not here. I'm sure the children will welcome the escape as well." Sebastian's scarlet eyes slid over to look at his Lord and Master, watching him regard his two sons.

A part of him wondered how it was like, constantly having someone to worry about that wasn't your boss, wasn't your master and savoir and Lord. He supposed he would never know.

"Perhaps...take them to Mirror room and have them study until their music tutor gets here. I can't let their academic skills fall for a dance, can I?" Lucifer smirked and beckoned for his two sons to approach where he and his top advisor stood. Raziel walked forward with long, graceful strides, looking every bit the Prince he was.

Behind him, Ezra hurried along, bare feet making absolutely no noise on the polished marble floors. His bare legs often caught the gaze of many, though the elder of the two glared at those w/o dared stare at his little brother. Both had gotten their father's snow white hair, his impressive height, his dark, nearly black eyes.

However, while both Lucifer and Raziel had straight hair, Ezra had the gently curling hair his mother had had, and his hair faded from white to pink, similar in how his mother's hair had faded from pink to purple. Sebastian smiled down at the young Prince, giving him a mischievous wink while Lucifer spoke to his eldest son.

A moment later, and Sebastian was escorting the two demons to the Mirror room, where the whole of the Palace could be watched over through a series of mirrors. Raziel was entertaining his younger brother by challenging him to count every single window, door and guard on the way to the room.

By the time they reached the heavy doors that led inside, Ezra had counted up to thirty windows, fifty doors, and only forty guards. The general made a mental note to check why there were so little later, for now he simply held the door open and allowed the two to enter.

Once they were set up in a corner of the room, Sebastian settled in the old chair on the other end of the room, scarlet eyes darting from the mirrors to the children, then back to the mirrors. Lucifer was speaking with the guards, while on another level two guards disappeared into a room only to leave a few minutes later, disheveled and content.

 _Young people these days_ , he thought, _were far too rambunctious_.

As it was a Monday, there were very few visitors to the church. Those that were here were for the confessional or to prayer or to plan for a wedding or funeral. Ciel sighed as yet another happily engaged couple came up to him, wishing to schedule a wedding in the grand old church. As politely as he could in such an awful mood, he redirected them to Finnian, then stole away to the back.

He pretended not to notice the look of concern he received from Alois and Finnian as he left, not wanting their pity at the time. He took in the lack of others that were in the back, then slipped outside into the cold winter air.

Just in the last year, a disastrous fire claimed the lives of his parents, of his family. He'd prayed that they be given safe passage, but all he'd gotten in response were men trying it take his family's estate. He'd had to fight tooth and nail to keep the old manor, and no matter how hard he prayed no one had helped.

He was also coming to terms with the fact that his eye would never heal, that the fire and falling debris and smoke had permanently damaged it. At the moment, it was covered with a clean white bandage, hiding the now hideous looking wound from sight. He turned his distraught gaze up towards the sky, body tensing as he sent a silent prayer for a better day.

When it started to rain, he ran back inside so fast he knocked Alois down. The blond called out to him, but Ciel didn't stop until he'd entered a carriage and was on the way back to the Phantomhive manor. He was breathing hard, gripping his bag tightly in his hands and shaking.

There was no God.

His prayers meant absolutely nothing.

His parents had been allowed to die.

He'd lost an eye and most of his sight.

Now he only knew pain and others pity.

As he climbed out of the carriage and waved away Tanaka's help, he couldn't help but notice the new mirror that he'd bought from an auction. He ordered it to be moved to his study and hurried to his bedroom to change from his traditional robes and into a dark double breasted suit. He walked slowly to his study and past the mirror (that had been fast).

Ciel stopped in front of the mirror, examining his red eye, and then, after a moment of hesitation, took off the bandage to look at the angry wound that covered his eye. He still couldn't see through that eye, though it hurt far less to open and close it than it had the first few months.

"If there is a God, why did this happen?" He asked to the open air, expecting no answer. He certainly didn't expect to see words appear on the mirror's glossy surface.

 _"God has never been kind. He takes and rarely gives. You are blind to his cruelty."_

Ciel threw a cloth over the mirror and left the room. He didn't come back until late, after having read a letter from his cousin, Elizabeth, about how her most treasured horse had died that day from a broken leg. She had sounded distressed in the letter, and he felt guilty for refusing to see her for so long. He wondered if she knew about his parents yet, or if she was simply avoiding the touchy subject.

The young priest stared at the antique mirror, reaching up to slowly pull off the cloth.

"Are...are you there?" He felt silly, talking to his own reflection, but a part of him desperately hoped to make some sort of contact. Any at all, anything to help him with his dwindling faith in everything.

 _"Yes."_

Ciel let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, hands curled into tight fists at his sides. He undid the bandage hiding his damaged eye, pulled a chair over to the mirror, and sat down in front of his own reflection.

"My name is Ciel Phantomhive. I...I have a lot of questions. Can you answer any of them?"

 _"A pleasure to meet you, Lord Phantomhive. I am Sebastian. Ask anything, I cannot lie or withhold the truth you seek."_

The priest smiled and leaned back in his chair, functioning eye glistening with sudden hope.

"For now, how about a simple conversation? This mirror belongs to me now, I have plenty of time to ask my questions."

 _"Of course...you have lovely eyes, my Lord. Such a vibrant blue is rare where I am from. It is...refreshing."_

Ciel was grinning by now, leaning forward in the chair and trying to think of what to say. He had lost everything - his parents, his eye, his faith in what he once believed in. He vaguely wondered what his late predecessor would think of him now.

Ah, well, better not dwell on the past. It was healthier to push forward and fight for something worth it...like this mysterious man, Sebastion.

"Tell me about your home."

 **To summarize this as best as I can:**

 **Ciel loses his parents to a tragedy, he's left reeling and recovering from a horrific injury to his eye, and finds himself struggling with regaining his faith. He buys a mirror that his mother had loved, and finds out that there is something more to it than a gold trim.**

 **He finds Sebastian, an old demon with too much time on his hands, and the two bond over communication through a mirror. I might do more with this au at a later date, but I think it's just so cute that I had to write for it.**

 **Please review! And leave requests! I'll eventually get to them. :D**


	13. Fevers and Pills

**Ciel is sick. Sebastian puts the other servants through help because of it. Enjoy this moment of father/son fluff with a demon and a brat. :)**

 **Review, as always, and leave any requests that you have.**

 **~*~ Line Break ~*~**

It was that perfect time of morning. It was early enough that there was still shining droplets of dew on the grass and bushes and flowers, but late enough that the chill had been extinguished by the sunlight currently streaming in through the windows. Or it would be, if the curtains weren't closed.

Sebastian opened them with a flourish, poured a cup of Darjeeling, but paused when he heard a soft, pained whine. He set the tea down and made his way to the side of his young master's bed. He carefully pulled the covers down and was surprised when he was met with a _very_ sick child.

A moment passed, then the butler slowly removed one of his gloves and placed the back of his hand against the boy's forehead. He frowned, picking up one of the boy's hands - he had a fever, heart rate was normal, if a little fast, and his skin was as pale as the snow outside.

"Tsk, you've caught a rather nasty cold, young master." Ciel didn't respond, only groaned and rolled over, burying his face into the pillows. Sebastian straightened up and slid his glove back on, now a little concerned. It could be a cold, but if it was the flu or something worse...

He decided not to think about that - or the boy's frailty - and left with the cart to return with a pitcher of ice water, a glass, and plain toast. He also brought a bottle of medicine, which he'd placed into his pocket. Couldn't let Ciel see the bottle, he'd protest to taking it, or order Sebastian to throw it out.

"Wake up, you should drink some water." He gently woke his master and helped him to sit up, handed him the glass (now full of cold water) and sat down on the bed, next to his feet. The demon waited until Ciel had set the glass aside to pull out the medicine and shake out two of the little white pills.

Almost immediately the earl made a disgusted sound, glaring at the pills resting innocently in his butler's palm.

"Don't give me that look. You must take these or you'll only get worse." He handed the pills over, waiting a moment before he stood up. He heard ice clinking against glass and smiled; behind him, Ciel coughed after he swallowed the gross pills, glaring now at Sebastian's back.

"Have you already canceled my meetings for the day?"

"Yes. Alois Trancy demanded he be allowed to visit you anyway. I believe he said he was coming by at seven." Sebastian tidied up the room, though after he received no response he turned to find his young master fast asleep, slumped against the headboard of his bed.

The demon smiled fondly, gently picking the boy up in order to set him down in a proper position. He gently tucked the blankets around him, moved the glass of water away from the edge of the nightstand, and set the pitcher down next to the glass.

He stood there for a moment, looking down at this frail, delicate little master of his. Sebastian scoffed at his own thoughts and his concern, but still...

He leaned down brush hair from Ciel's face, carefully so as not wake him, then gently kissed his forehead. He retreated quickly, taking the un-eaten toast with him. He'd check on the little earl later today, for now...He needed to make sure Alois didn't make it to his master's bedroom.

And he would deny ever looking worried when he had fetched the medicine or helped Ciel through a particularly violent coughing fit. He wasn't worried. Nope. Not at all.

...ok, maybe he was a bit worried.

~*~ Line Break ~*~

 _Finnian watched Sebastian fill the pitcher with water and add ice to it, while at the same time he instructed Bard on how to make toast, of all things. The chef didn't seem to see how unusual this was, or question why Sebastian had gone rooting around in the medicine cabinet._

 _Sebastian himself wasn't sick (he never got sick) so it had to be the young master that was sick. Finnian followed the butler upstairs, watching him place the bottle of pills into his pocket, as if to hide it._

 _Perhaps the young master doesn't like medicine? Finnian stopped short of following Sebastian into the earl's bedroom, instead waiting outside. When Sebastian stepped back out, he was smiling and sliding the bottle back into his pocket._

 _"Mission accomplished?" Finnian asked, grinning as his question made the usually unshakable butler jump and spin around to glare at him with those strange red eyes._

 _"Get back to work." Was the only response he got, but as the gardener fled back down the hall, he heard a very quiet voice say yes._


	14. The Adoption of a Phantomhive

**Still alive! I also noticed that there seems to be an adoption au circling around and decided to try my hand at it - reminder, horror is more my cup of tea than fluffy cuteness. Still, I absolutely love the idea, especially when I can slam adorable ships into it and throw silly modern au ideas about.**

 **And I am taking requests guys, and I'll do as many as I can get to. On top of that...what would you guys think if I made an m rated version of my story collections?**

 **Anyway, enjoy this guys. I'll do a second part later, one with a little more of the ships I've sailed.**

 **I do not have a beta reader btw. Forgive mistakes.**

 **X~~~X line break X~~~X**

There were many things that Ciel knew. Things he shouldn't know but did.

He was Ciel Phantomhive and his daddy was very, very important. His mother loved him lots, as did his aunt and his cousin and...He also knew that his parents weren't loved. He knew they'd been killed, burnt up in that awful fire that destroyed his home and crippled him for life.

He knew what pain was, what loneliness was, why foster parents and those looking to adopt didn't want him.

Ciel Phantomhive was damaged goods, and no one wanted damaged goods. This was why he didn't perk up every time someone walked through the doors of the little orphanage, why he didn't bother speaking with those hopeful fools looking for cute kids to take home. He felt like he was at a pound, and he was the dog missing an eye - ugly, unwanted, all those things he knew he was.

This was why the ten year old only felt numb as he was told to "come meet a nice fellow". A single blue eye drifted over the tiny office, peering at the lonely degree on the wall and at the mountainous file cabinets and the forbidding dark oak desk.

In front of the desk, a man with black hair sat stiffly in a wooden chair. When Ciel and the attendant (warden, he thought) came in, the man turned and fixed the little boy with a piercing, nearly unnatural red gaze. For a moment, he smiled at the two, but then his expression smoothed into a blank slate.

"So, Ciel, this is Sebastian Michaelis, he worked with your father and knew him well. He has some good news for you, he's going to adopt you! Isn't that wonderful? Ciel?" Ciel didn't like Sebastian. He sat too stiffly, he had a sinister intensity to his eyes, and even his smile seemed too stiff and unnatural, so no, Ciel didn't think that it was wonderful. He made this clear by glaring at the man, who only stared blankly back.

And then he winked. This startled Ciel, who looked away and crossed his arms over his chest. The attendant got out files and paperwork, no doubt happy to be rid of the sullen little boy, who stood there in numb silence. Sebastian was quick to sign the papers and have all of the boy's meager belongings gathered and given to him.

Soon (far too soon) they were walking out of the building and into the cold air of London. Sebastian didn't try to take Ciel's hand, help him into the sleek black car with cat stickers littering the bumper, or ask him any questions besides "are you hungry?" And "are you allergic to anything?".

He sank down into the leather of the backseat, leaning his head against the window. He answered none of the man's questions, except to say that, yes, he was hungry, and soon the inside of the car was quiet. Outside, the world went by in a colorful blur, all greys and blues and reds, right up until they went over a bridge. The car rattled over the wooden planks, making Ciel grip the seat tight and grit his teeth in annoyance. Red eyes flickered in the review mirror, as if checking on him, though nothing but curiosity lingered in those dark depths.

The boy scowled, but this only made the man smirk (though this disappeared as soon as they were off the bridge). Gone were the buildings of London, and in its place was the green and brown of countryside - or so he thought. The car was pulling into the driveway of an apartment complex, surrounded by a beautiful garden. A boy older than Ciel stood in said garden, tossing a ball for a big white dog. The boy paused, ball in hand, and watched the car slow to a halt in the driveway, the big dog by his side.

"This isn't where we'll be permanently, don't worry, but I can't afford a bigger house right now. You'll have to deal with living in an apartment for now, and I can homeschool you if you don't want to go to school, but my job can pull me to different places quite suddenly..." Sebastian quietly explained as he turned the car off and picked up his bag and the vanilla folder of the boy's files.

"Who is that?" Ciel stared out the window, waiting for Sebastian to open his door and let him out. The black haired man glanced over, a soft smile playing over his lips.

"That would be Finnian and his dog, Pluto. He graduated from high school last year, so he's too old for you to play games with, ok? I don't mind you talking to him, but avoid the dog if possible. Pluto could hurt you without even realizing it." Ciel nodded, though his one good eye stayed glued to the dog. Sebastian seemed amused, but said no more until after he opened the backseat door, where he mentioned something for dinner, but the ten year old wasn't listening.

He darted away from the car, towards the other boy and his dog. Immediately, Finnian snatched a hold of Pluto's collar, grounding the dog in place. Though his short sleeve shirt let Ciel see how he strained to keep the dog there, his face was serene in the way he smiled down at the younger male.

"Hi! Bard _mentioned_ that Mr Sebastian was getting a kid but I didn't think you'd be _this_ cute!" The teen had a loud voice, but he used a friendly, warm tone, and he seemed genuinely kind...

"I'm Ciel Phantomhive." He wished his voice was stronger, deeper, like his dad's had been, but no, the words came out shaky and high pitched because of his age. A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, startling him out of the staring contest he'd been unintentionally having with Finnian.

"Pardon me Finny, but I really must get Ciel inside. I'd like to get him more...settled before he starts making friends. You understand, right? Say hello to Bard for me." As quick as that, Sebastian led him away with a tight grip on his shoulder, leading him into the apartments and up the stairs. The boy peered down the hallways, catching sight of a red head with glasses disappearing into an apartment.

On the third floor they stopped, reaching a door with a plaque that read "30C" in big block letters. Sebastian unlocked this door, and Ciel was hit by the smell of vanilla candles and cinnamon and wildflowers. The achingly familiar scent made his eyes water, though he hid this by walking ahead of his new guardian.

The apartment had white walls, wispy black curtains, black furniture (except for a love seat that matched Sebastian's eyes in color) and dark wooden floors. Paintings had been hung on the walls, each one portraying a colorful, pretty landscape.

Ciel had already decided that his favorite among the paintings would be the one of a meadow caught just at dawn.

The boy turned on his heel, shoes squeaking over the pristine floors, and got a look at the kitchen. There was an oven, a dishwasher, and a huge fridge, wrapped up in white granite countertops and white tile backsplash. Beyond that, he could see the pantry door and laundry door (both firmly shut) as well as what looked to be dog or cat dishes laying on a little blue mat.

On the other end of the room, a towering cat tree was home to one sleek black feline with wide green eyes. Ciel paused, watching as the animal bolted from the room and down the hallway.

"Hah, I apologize. Charlotte isn't fond of strangers. She'll warm up to you sooner or later. Now, how about shrimp pasta for dinner, with tea to drink?"

"...don't grown ups drink wine?"

"Hey, I'm allowed to drink tea, aren't I?"

"Hmm..." Ciel pretended to think about it, tapping his chin with a finger. "Ok...I think it's ok. But only of its good tea. Not something nasty ok?"

Sebastian smiled like he was trying to hide his urge to laugh, but he nodded anyway. Might as well please his new...housemate. Yeah, Ciel was just a small child sharing this fancy apartment with its monochrome hues and colorful paintings. He would not get attached, he refused. He wouldn't get hurt again.

"Wanna help me make dinner?" Ok, maybe he'd get a little bit attached. But only to the cooking part. Not...not to anyone. Not again.

 **X~~~X Line Break X~~~X**

The bedroom Ciel had been given was...well, the walls were a powder blue, the floor was the same dark wood, the bed had white everything, though the frame itself was black and, paired with a black nightstand, chest, and a black dresser shoved into the corner, the room was more or less balanced in the color section. He unpacked his tiny suitcase, setting his teddy bear and lion plushie on the bed, his elephant lamp on the nightstand, and his few outfits into the drawers of the dresser.

After that, his small collection of books were placed onto the lowered shelf of his closet, and his second pair of shoes (a pair of ratty sneakers he barely ever wore but kept out of sentimentality) went underneath those. A picture of his parents went on the nightstand, right by his rather childish lamp.

And then he was done. That was all his little suitcase held. He only had one eyepatch, and he would rather go with bandages around his head than wear the scratchy brown leather.

Ciel sat down on the corner of the white bed, little hands fisting the soft comforter. He wondered what Sebastian did in his job to be able to afford all of this. He'd known what his dad had done, he knew that was what had gotten him killed but...

Sue him, the ten year old was curious about this man and his strange eyes and secretive smiles. He didn't have any pictures anywhere either, and had talked to Finny like one would an employee, not a neighbor. He was a strange man, but if he worked for his dad once...He couldn't be all that bad, right?

"Hey, you already unpacked?" Speak of the devil...Ciel huffed, glaring at Sebastian as the tall man stepped inside the child's room. He carried a small stack of boxes, the kind one would put folded clothes in and wrap for dismal presents.

"I wasn't sure how much you had...these are just pajamas and a few shirts and the like. We can go shopping for more tomorrow." Sebastian set the boxes down on the dresser, now standing there with his arms at his sides. He'd changed since Ciel had gone to his room. Gone were the stuff collared clothes of a lawyer, and now he wore a red sweater and black sweats. His feet were bare, and Ciel could see that his toenails were painted black.

"Thanks. I'm tired so..." Sebastian sighed, crossing the room to kneel in front of the boy.

"I know you might hate this change, and I'm sorry if it all seems forced...nothing has been explained to you, and I know your aunt didn't say anything about what happened. We can talk about it in the morning. You just rest for now, get used to the place. I...have a few phone calls to make."

Sebastian stood up and went to the door, pausing as he stepped back out into the dimly lit hallway.

"Good night Ciel." The door shut behind him, and Ciel sat there, staring with that single blue eye.

"...good night Sebastian." He whispered to the closed door, getting up to turn off the lights. He hesitated, then opened the door a few inches. He could barely hear the tone of the black haired man's voice, though he couldn't hear any of the words. This suited him fine, and he returned to the bed and crawled underneath the heavy comforter and the cool sheets.

Just as his eye drifted shut, the bed shifted and a weight jumped onto the space next to his legs. Looking down, he could see two green eyes staring at him from the foot of the bed. Ciel moved, creating room by his head. The moment he closed his eye the cat had curled up against his chest, sniffing at his nose and forehead and softly purring when he started petting her.

"Night Charlotte..." the child fell asleep, fingers curled in the warm, sleek fur of the black cat, Sebastian's slightly deep, near growly voice in his ears, and the feeble light of his elephant lamp shining on the blue walls and the dark floors.

Maybe he _would_ end up liking it here...even if he _was_ mildly allergic to cats...

 **X~~~X Line Break X~~~X**

 **Just to clarify...**

 **Finny and Bard live together and are roommates, Meyrin lives alone (she was the one Ciel spotted) and whenever I get the second part up we'll get to see the reapers and others~. Only William lives in the same apartment complex as Sebastian, but we'll see Grell with him a lot. ;)**

 **Anyway. Send in requests and let me know what you think about a mature rated story collection.**


	15. Je t'aime père

**More adoption au because I can't get enough of it.**

 **Also because Single Dad Community is great and wholesome. (Despite the fact the only members are Sebastian, Claude and Agni.)**

 **And an answer to a question from promocat: surprisingly, I'm not too sure what Sebastian does in this au. I have yet to specify it, but for now I'll leave it as Sebastian worked with Vincent to solve crimes and catch criminals/murderers, and you can take this as he still does that or is just really paranoid.**

 **I do know that William is a lawyer, Grell a nurse (sue me I couldn't see him as a lawyer) and Bard's a soldier who retired early-ish and is trying to be a chef. Other than that I'm dead. :/**

 **As usual, I own nothing!**

 **X Shockingly, a line break! X**

 **X**

Ciel, as an intelligent thirteen year old, knew a few things that maybe he shouldn't.

He knew that most foster dads didn't have a gun taped to the bottom of the kitchen table, or a study with a locked gun cabinet sitting right there. He knew foster dads didn't have tattoos like his did. He knew that they shouldn't smile like they were about to blackmail someone into the ground, and that they definitely shouldn't leave for days and come home with a bullet in their shoulder and blood staining their clothes.

However, he also knew that not every foster dad took the time to know all of their children's allergies, that they wouldn't always cook for them and help with homework. Most foster dads wouldn't take the time to teach their new son to read and write in different languages, teach them to play violin and piano, or show them how to paint their nails just because.

And most foster dads definitely didn't encourage their sons to wear whatever they wanted, even if that included dresses and skirts. Which, for Ciel, it did. He closet had many skirts and dress in it, almost as many suits and shirts and jeans.

That was why he bragged to Alois that he had the best dad ever.

This is why, when he heard the sound of surprise from the kitchen, he shrank further into the corner of the couch he was currently taking up. A shadow fell over him and he was quick to hide his face in the book he'd been reading.

"Ciel..." Sebastian stood over him, holding a mug that had a red bow around it and big block letters that read _Number One Dad!_ Ciel peeked up at him with his single blue eye, holding his breath and hoping that he wasn't in trouble for spending money without permission.

"Did you really get this? For me?" The older male was happily examining the mug, though he hadn't taken off the bow yet.

"Of c-course! Y-you're the only one I have anyway..." Ciel wished for the couch to open up and swallow him whole. Instead, he settled for hunching his shoulders and burying his nose into his book. Sebastian didn't say anything in response, but the the not quite teen heard the ribbon being pulled off and set aside. A hand brushed his bangs from his remaining eye, drawing his gaze back up to his foster parent.

"Thank you, mon chaton. I love it." Ciel blushed bright red at the nickname, though the use of French had him thinking...

"A-anyway, Alois is probably expecting me s-soon, so I should go before we miss the school bus." He was quick to roll off the couch and grab his backpack and lunchbox from the coffee table. Still standing there and holding the mug, Sebastian simply hummed and watched his adopted son flit about and gather his jacket and gloves (because it, while past December, it was still cold outside!).

Ciel opened the apartment door, then turned to look at his foster dad, a little nervous.

"Je t'aime papa." With that, he bolted out the door, cheeks redder than a tomato, and he took the stairs two at a time. He reached the front of the building in record time, though he didn't stop to speak with the doorman or even say hello to Finnian and Pluto like he usually did. Instead, he ran straight for the front gate where Alois - one of his only friends - would be waiting.

"Hey hey, slow down. Why is your face so red? Did someone kiss you or something?" Ciel ignored the blond's questions, instead he smoothed his hands over his sweater and skirt, then put on his jacket and stuffed his gloves into his pocket. He took a deep breath, then exhaled out a white cloud of air, trying to calm his racing heart.

"I called Sebastian dad in French." Alois's mouth made a perfect "O" shape, and the grip on his own bag tightened. In barely a second, he was jumping all over the place and screaming with delight.

"Ooohhh my God! What did he say? What did he do? Come on come on you know I live off these details!" Ciel swallowed, shaking his head in a moment of embarrassment.

"N-nothing. I ran away before he could say anything. I-I also got him a number one dad mug."

"He's gotta know that you see him as your daddy by now, I mean, he calls you all sorts of cute names and makes sure to embarrass you like every good dad..."

"He also leaves for days and keeps guns around. I don't even know what he does for a job Alois. What if I just called a murderer _papa?_ " Ciel frowned, rubbing his hands over his thin arms. He paused, mid-step, eye suddenly going wide.

"What if I'm just his cover? Wh-what if he...what if he doesn't trust me enough to k-keep me?" This turn of questioning wasn't new, but now it had a new edge of desperation. He'd finally gotten the courage to call Sebastian dad and tell him he loved him, but what if Sebastian didn't even care about him?

"I'm sure Sebastian _adores_ you, _seriously_ , I listen to Claude complain about being ignored by him all the time because he's too busy gushing about _you_ when they get together with Agni. The single dad unit and all." Alois waved his hands dismissively, almost smacking himself in the face at the same time.

Ciel nodded, figuring the blond was probably right. He shouldn't think so much about it. After all, he'd find out when he got home, right?

 **X**

 **X Line Break - who else is hurting for Ciel and his dad issues? No one? Ok X**

 **X**

"He called you dad!? Sebastian that's _great_!" Agni beamed at the raven haired man, who was hiding his own grin in his new favorite mug. He'd had his own reservations about getting a kid (especially Vincent's son) but he'd gotten used to this; hanging out with the other single dads in the area, which really, was just Agni and...Claude. The two men were widely different, and so were their sons, in some aspects.

Agni was kind and bold and warm, never hesitating to give his jacket to someone else who needs it. Soma was spoiled and a bit selfish, but it seemed he was behaving much better since having met Ciel and Alois.

Claude was possessive, intelligent, and borderline creepy. Alois was pretty much the same way, but he got away with it because he was small and cute and a "sweet little blond angel" in class. He was also Ciel's only friend besides Elizabeth and Soma, and they didn't really count either, seeing as how Soma was in high school and Elizabeth was Ciel's cousin...

"So...any of you get a date yet?" Sebastian couldn't help but snicker at Claude's question, already knowing the answer. He also knew Claude knew the answer, but he'd tell the other two what he always said.

"Between my job and Ciel, I haven't had time to even _think_ about dating." Agni agreed, stating the same with himself.

Claude, of course, had a date that very night. And bragged about it. Sebastian didn't care though, as he took another sip from his mug, because he was the _number one dad_ damn it, and he was getting a promotion soon, which meant he could go from this apartment to a much better place. Somewhere where Ciel could make more friends his age, have a bigger room, and where he could get a dog and...

This little kid had him wrapped around his little finger, didn't he?

 **X**

 **X Line Break X**

 **X**

Sebastian had raced home after work just to be there before the school bus dropped Ciel off. He took the stairs two at a time (the same way Ciel had that very morning) unlocked his apartment in a hurry, and went straight to the kitchen to watch out the window for his adopted son.

The school bus came, dropping Alois and Ciel off on the curb. They said their goodbyes (at least it seemed they were) and Alois went across the street while waving to the slate haired boy. Excited, he went to the front door and leaned against the wall just beyond it, red eyes trained on the off white door.

It opened, and Ciel stepped inside with a swish of his dark blue skirt and the familiar thump as hi backpack hit the floor by the entryway table. He paused in the middle of taking his jacket off as his remaining eye landed on his foster dad.

"S-Sebastian you're home _early_.." the boy trailed off, wringing his hands nervously, his words from that morning echoing in his head.

Sebastian knelt down in front of him, smiling fondly as he gently took Ciel's hands in his much larger ones. He could feel the boy shaking, and felt a flash of worry before he leaned forward to place a kiss on Ciel's forehead, knowing that he hated the display of affection.

"S'il vous plaît appele moi père." Ciel's eyes went wide, then went watery. He was crying, but he threw his arms around Sebastian and said that he would, he would call him dad and he was so happy that Sebastian wasn't mad at him for calling him papa that morning...

"I really don't mind, I'm honored you want me to be your dad. Next time though, mon chaton, give me some warning. I nearly dropped my mug when you said that. You also need to brush up on your French, your accent is off."

"...dad...don't ruin the moment."

"Too late. Sorry Ciel, je t'aime?"

"...I love you too dad."

 **X Line Break X**

 **SCREAMS. Sorry about the French I threw in there. I couldn't help it. The grammar might be wrong so I apologize, but these are more or less what was said:**

 **Je t'aime = I love you**

 **Mon chaton = my kitten**

 **S'il vous plaît appele moi père = please call me dad**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed. Look out for more adoption au drabbles and much more than that in the future! I'm finally starting to feel like I don't need to be in the hospital 24/7, so I'm hoping to write even more. UvU**


	16. Feathers and Crossbows Oh My

**There is no better Au than a hunter/mythical animal Au. Which is why this was born, and I am not sorry.**

 **Blatant Sebastian x Ciel, but he's older in this anyway.**

 **As usual, I own absolutely nothing.**

 **X Line Break X**

 **X X**

 **X X**

 **X X**

In all the books about ancient times that Ciel had read, each one only vaguely explained why an obscure God had split the world into two - one being the grand, sprawling city of human inhabitants, and the other being the dark, gloomy forests of beasts and demons. He admitted that he was curious about the reasoning behind the walls separating him from a magical, mythical world, but it wouldn't be for long that he'd be split from that other place.

His father was a hunter, one of few who ventured out beyond the walls and into the dark forest. He'd been training Ciel to follow in his footsteps since he was nine, and now, tomorrow at dawn, he would be old enough to accompany his father outside of the walls he'd known since childhood. It would also be the first time that he didn't have his faithful hound by his side, but father told him a dog like Sebastian would only alert deadly creatures to their location.

With all that on his mind, the slate haired boy, barely eighteen, fell asleep in his bed.

X

X

Today was not going as planned, Ciel thought as he limped towards a stream. First, they'd been greeted by vultures on their way in, his father had dropped his crossbow, and then a stampede of pure white deer had separated them. His leg hurt, have twisted his ankle in his attempt to get away from the deer, and the palms of his hands stung where they'd scraped against roots and rocks in the ground. His gear hung heavy from the straps on his shoulders, and the young man was all too happy to lay it against the ground and be free of the weight.

Blue eyes took in the silent forest, the gently swaying branches above him, the clear, cool water that sped fast over smooth rocks. He carefully rinsed his hands off in the water, the chill numbing his scrapes. As he dried his hands, he noticed a little black feather, sitting innocently on top of the leaf strewn ground. It was glossy, soft to the touch, too soft to have come from just any bird. There was a rustle above him, the sound of silk fabric moving against bark and leaves, wings moving and branches creaking.

Ciel stood, very slowly, and looked up. A harpy with wings as black as sin was perched above him, white gossamer silk wrapped around its - no, it was male, he was a male - waist, resting low on his hips. Some black had been tied underneath, thankfully hiding anything from view. A bone white mask kept most of his face hidden, but red eyes gleamed from those eye holes, and wild black hair framed the mask in locks of glossy darkness. The harpy made a soft noise, looking down at the teenage human, pale, long fingers curled around a branch. He made another noise, then dropped down with a flurry of downy feathers and pale skin and silk.

Ciel stumbled back, shoulder hitting a tree, as the harpy stood to his full height. Almost a foot taller than the boy, the creature's wings only made him seem bigger, scarier almost. Ciel's breath hitched as the being took another step closer, the white silk barely covering his chest shifting with movement. The harpy lifted a hand - the nails of which were black like his wings and hair - and pointed to himself.

"Sebastian." The harpy was introducing himself! Doing the same, Ciel pioneered to himself, speaking softly and slowly as to both be heard correctly and to not spook the beautiful creature.

"I'm Ciel. And I'm lost. Can you help me, Sebastian?" He tried, watching those red eyes watch him. The harpy, tilted his head, flaring his wings and then rustling the appendages.

"Yes, yes I can help. But I want something in _return_." So creatures out here did know English. That would be useful if he wanted to speak to someone that wasn't human.

"Well, what do you _want_?" At this, the harpy cackled, hopping up and down on nimble feet. Black feathers drifted to the ground, and one landed on Ciel's bag, just on the edge of the crossbow he'd been given.

"You. I want _you_." He cooed, eyes flashing beneath his bone white mask. Ciel didn't hesitate, despite every warning about harpies and their deals with humans, entranced as he was by those red eyes and hips barely covered by white silk.

With Sebastian faithfully by side, hopping and spinning and flying above, Ciel found his way back outside of the forest and to his father.

And no, no one got used to having a harpy like Sebastian around, what with his habit of shedding feathers and his love of cats and...other, more nefarious things.

Ciel wasn't complaining...yet.


	17. Soulmate Au

**I am writing this at midnight I have absolutely no regrets.**

 **I also welcome everyone to my own personal rare pair hell.**

* * *

William T. Spears didn't believe in his soulmate. His parents had different words tattooed to their wrists, they didn't quite match up - and when a curly headed man spoke his mother's words to her, the messy divorce had hardened William's resolve: he'd ignore the elegant calligraphy of words on his hip and he'd never wait on his supposed soulmate.

He didn't engage in the conversations of his co-workers, feigning either ignorance or boredom to get away from their nonsense prattle about the words they had. Grell picked at his stubbornness, always teasing him about his determination to not talk, and the others more or less let him pretend he didn't have words carved into his flesh just like them.

He could have gone his entire life pretending that the words _"Are you hurt?"_ weren't on his skin in a shade of mahogany red.

He could have pretended for years, until he died, until his cold, stupid heart stopped beating.

But then some jackass nearly ran him over and he met his red eyed fate. At least the guy had some fancy handwriting an expensive clothes.

* * *

Sebastian Michaelis yearned to meet his soulmate, to meet the person who would say the words tattooed across his throat. Sometimes he ran his fingers over the raised letters, smiling whenever he thought of the man or woman he'd eventually be able to meet.

His best friend had already met his, a bratty kid with messy blond hair and blue eyes who told him to _"go fuck yourself"_ and had the words _"pardon me, bitch"_ on his collarbone. Sebastian figured Claude and Alois were lucky for having such unique words, while he just got an extremely generic sentence on his throat.

He just hadn't expected to meet his soulmate like, well, this.

He saw the sleek black car pass on by, speeding down the street like the driver was running from the devil, he'd tugged Ciel away from the curb and dismissed the scene and the vehicle. He couldn't be bothered with it, especially with his kid brother tugging on his hand to try and lead him into a candy shop.

"That car's going to hit someone." The mix matched eyed boy commented as he collapsed onto a bench, Sebastian humming in agreement while he dropped his jacket onto the younger boy.

"Pray it isn't one of us, my littlest lord."

"One time! Jeez, that play was forever and a day ago." Ciel muttered, sinking low into his seat and rummaging through the pockets of the older man's jacket. Just as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes, there was a screech of tires and a scream, and Sebastian was launching himself across the street to push a dark haired man out of the way.

There was yelling from a redhead, and he crouching and trying to tug his probably friend up off the ground.

Sebastian paused when he saw the man's cracked glasses and the piercing green eyes behind them. Gently, he removed the cracked glasses, causing the man to blink, still dazed from the fall.

"Are you hurt?" He tried, giving the man a once over, trying to find any tears or cuts or scrapes.

"I'm just fine." Both men froze, one unsure how to proceed and the other brimming with anger. Slowly, Sebastian chose to grin widely and pull his scarf off, showing off the words so neatly printed on his neck.

"I've been wanting to meet you since I was six. I'm Sebastian."

"His name's William and he's a stubborn workaholic who doesn't believe in soumates." The redhead helpfully supplied, much to the protests of William, who snatched his glasses back from the taller man.

Sebastian's smile faltered, his heart aching for a moment before he heard his brother approaching. He turned his head, hoping his hopelessness was obvious enough for his more blunt sibling to see.

"So, you're my brother's soulmate? Fair warning, he smokes, drives a motorcycle, and thinks cats are gods gift to mankind." Ciel was smirking, and for once Sebastian hoped he'd step backwards into traffic.

"That driver didn't stay by the way. I got his license plate though, took a picture." Ah, good old Ciel, always happy to get someone arrested.

"Look, I've seen this fail." Surprised, the outed smoker turned his attention back to the man still sitting on the hard pavement. William was frowning, his glasses back on his face and his eyes glaring at him.

"But you can still buy me coffee, after Grell here drives me to the hospital."

Sebastian would like to state for the record that he didn't and never would shout in triumph over getting a date with his soulmate (who happened to be very, very pretty), but Ciel would tell the story like that anyway.

* * *

 **A few years later...**

"You ok?" William, worried and standing in the entryway into the kitchen, asked his fiance. Sebastian shook his hand, grimacing at the red mark the hot metal of the pan had left on the palm of his hand.

"Yeah, I'm just fine." The red eyed man put the lid back on the pan, content to let the pasta sit there for a moment longer.

"Good. Now come over here and let me see your hand. I'm the doctor here."

"How did I get so lucky to get you as my soulmate?" Sebastian sighed, moving to let William look at the minor burn marring his pale skin.

"I think it was the car nearly running me over."


	18. Soulmate Au Part Two

**You know you're doing something right when someone tries to spread hate in the comments. I mean, I get it when people don't like a character or ship, but I'll be damned before I let someone put their hate on a fic just because they can.**

 **If you hate a ship or a character, don't read stories that include them, got it? You don't get to ruin other people's piece of mind just because you want to be bitter and salty.**

 **To every other lovely reader; I apologize you had to read that. I appreciate all of you, and I hope I haven't offended any of you. Stay cool, my friends. Y'all are beautiful marshmallow fluff.**

 **Also, this happens before the whole "years later" bit on the last chapter. More like a few months after they meet lol.**

* * *

"I'm so in love with him I swear he could stab me and I'd thank him." Bent over as he was in a stretch, Sebastian didn't see the partly amused, partly annoyed look his friend was giving him. Agni was a great friend, but even he got tired of hearing about William and how great he supposedly was.

"You only met a little while ago." The Indian helpfully pointed out, setting his book aside. Unlike Sebastian, who was on the floor in the middle of stretching in preparation for a practice session, he was seated on a metal fold up chair. If his own soulmate hadn't been there for a ballroom dance class, he probably wouldn't be having this conversation.

Sebastian pulled up sharply, tossing his messy hair back with a frown.

"That _doesn't_ make me like him any less. You and Soma have only known each other for two years and you two are _engaged_. You have no room to talk." He slid into a smooth lunge, hands resting on his knee.

"Plus, it's not like I was planning on telling him. He doesn't want that sort of relationship. We're just friends." Despite facing away from Agni, the hurt in his tone was obvious.

Later, when he met his husband outside of his class, Agni told the young man of Sebastian's plight.

He really shouldn't have.

* * *

"I hate my life." Ciel moaned, sprawled as he was over his queen sized bed. Elizabeth giggled over the phone, the sound crowded with static and sounding tinny through the phone's speakers.

 _"Aw, your words can't be that bad, can they? I can't believe you never noticed them until now."_

"Well, how would I have noticed them? The stupidest place to put them ever, and it's me. I mean, the middle of my back? It's cruel."

 _"I agree, it's pretty odd. Maybe if you had gone out more to swim you'd have noticed them quicker? Hey, wonder what your soulmate has for their first words?"_

"No idea, but thanks for the advice, Lizzy." Ciel sighed, listening to his cousin giggle again. He hung up without saying goodbye and tossed his phone onto the carpeted floor. After a minute of glaring at the device, he rolled over so that his bare back faced his full length mirror. The words, printed in a messy scrawl of bright, vivid green, followed the curve of his spine, shadowed by the dips of the prominent ridge.

 _"You're as pretty as an iris."_

He scowled at the words, hating how his heart gave a jolt when he'd first spotted them.

"They better not be a some stupid preppy girl."

* * *

Finnian kept looking down at his words, written in lilting cursive over the back of his hand. They were a bit simple, if not colorful, written there in both blue and purple. Behind him, Bard was complaining about something, setting a wooden crate of blue and purple irisis.

Working in a flower shop had its merits, like the beautiful flowers and the interesting customers. Just last week a handsome man had burst in, needing flowers for his date with his soulmate. It had been cute, how flustered the guy seemed when Bard had teased about his late thinking.

Finnian - or Finny, as everyone tended to call him - set down the azalea he'd been looking at as the bell over the door jingled oh so merrily. The red eyed man from the other week stepped through, holding the door open for a younger, smaller man.

Finny swore his breath caught in his throat at the sight of the mismatched eyes, one purple, one blue. Just like the words on the back of his hand. The petite male's hair was a dark slate-blue, his skin extremely pale, he had little blue studs in his ears and he was scowling like the store full of flowers had offended him.

As he and the older man came closer, the pale beauty sneezed cutely, like a kitten. He was so lost in studying the other male's features (those eyes were so big he felt like he could drown in them) that he didn't realize the two had stopped in front of the counter.

He could vaguely hear the older man asking for roses, but Finny wasn't listening. The boy glared at him, and opened his mouth to speak, but the blond beat him to it.

"You're as pretty as an iris." He blurted, a blush spreading quickly over his face.

"I-I'm sorry, that was inappropriate and unprofessional, I-I'm so sorry -"

"No, no it's ok."

Both stared at each other, not aware of the other people in the shop watching them with much amusement.

"I'm Finny."

"Ciel."

Finny grinned, wanting to climb to the roof and scream that he'd found his soulmate and his soulmate was a beautiful, gorgeous boy with mismatched eyes and a bitter expression.

"Bard, I'm taking the rest of the day off. I have someone I need to get to know. You a tea person, Ciel?"

* * *

"He hates me, Agni. I bring flowers, he leaves them behind, I compliment him, he brushes me off, I try to ask him to do something with me, he counters with a reason why he can't. I can't do this." Six months into getting to know William, and there was nothing to show for it. He had found out that William had a dog, that Grell was pretty much his only friend, that his parents hadn't been soulmates and that he couldn't function in the morning without coffee.

And yet, he wasn't making any headway with getting William to actually like him.

Agni barely looked up from his book, although that was because he couldn't bear to see his friend's lackluster expression. Meeting ones soulmate was supposed to make you happy, so very, very happy. All it was doing to Sebastian was making him miserable.

"I think I'm gonna give up. Even Claude said this was a lost clause. I'll tell William tonight that he doesn't have to worry about me anymore."

* * *

Another dinner with Sebastian. It wasn't too bad, but tonight the older man had news for him. William adjusted his glasses with one hand, taking a sip wine glass with the other. Across from him, Sebastian slid into his seat.

"You look nice." He mumbled, red eyes looking anywhere but William. He frowned, unsure how to approach this unsmiling, sullen seeming man. Usually, Sebastian was eccentric and dramatic and a little frightening, but right now he was...quiet.

"Are you alright? You look awful." Nice. William winced, but at least his words got Sebastian to actually look at him.

"You don't have to pretend anymore."

"...Sebastian?"

"I came here to tell you that you don't have to keep going on dates with me and...you don't want to deal with the soulmate bullshit and I understand. I'll be leaving you alone for now on, I'm sure you'll do great without me." Sebastian stood up, carefully stepping away from the table.

"Just so you know, I think you are brilliant and I hope you find whatever, whoever it is you want. You deserve to be happy." With that, Sebastian made his way through the maze of tables, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his black coat.

William stared after him, mouth gaping and eyes wide. Had that really happened? He was free from it. Fucking finally!

But...he felt an aching hollowness in his chest, like something had been torn out of him. The hollow feeling had always been there (before he met Sebastian, anyway) but this...this was pain. This was the act of realizing he wanted Sebastian to stay.

Because Sebastian was dramatic and eccentric and he brought light that blinded him and, because he hadn't moved or made this any easier, he was going to lose that light.

"Hey, idiot, what the fuck are you waiting for? Go get him!" The shouted words of the waitress at William up and running, hoping that he could catch the red eyed man before he left.

Just as he pushed open the doors, Sebastian pulled into traffic on his sleek black motorcycle. William shouted, Sebastian turned his head and swerved suddenly as if to come back to the curb.

It happened too fast.

It happened too slow.

The car (familiar in a way that was a bit damning) hit Sebastian from behind, tries screeching as the driver hit the brakes. William bolted for where his soulmate had landed, bleeding and holding a broken hand gingerly. He slowly knelt by him, gently brushing messy black hair from Sebastian's hazy eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I do want to keep going on dates with you, you stupid idiot. I know I'm reserved but you could have told me you were doubting this."

"Ciel always did call me a drama queen." William smiled, even as he heard the driver try to explain what had happened to a police officer who'd been across the street. Sebastian swallowed, shifting and groaning in pain.

"How about this, I'll let you get me coffee after they take me to the hospital."

William nodded furiously, the hollow ache filling so tiny bit.

"I'll take what I can get."

"And call Ciel for me?"

"Consider it done."

"And Agni."

"Yep."

"Claude would like at least an alert."

"Sebastian."

"Yes?"

"Just...be quiet."

"Make me." With a roll of his eyes, William leaned down and kissed the other man, pulling away to look at the shocked expression his soulmate was displaying.

"So, a black coffee with an extra shot, right?"


End file.
